Nesting Boxes - HOMEGROWN2016-12-09T13:29:43Zhttp://www.homegrown.org/forum/topics/nesting-boxes?groupUrl=backyardchickens&xg_source=activity&feed=yes&xn_auth=noThanks Mel,
The method you de…tag:www.homegrown.org,2012-02-22:2263119:Comment:1318802012-02-22T15:04:24.724ZErich Gottlhttp://www.homegrown.org/profile/ErichGottl
<p>Thanks Mel,</p>
<p>The method you described worked very well for us! They are now accustomed to their box and don't want any other spot.<br></br> <br></br> <cite>Mel W said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.homegrown.org/forum/topics/nesting-boxes?groupUrl=backyardchickens&amp;#2263119Comment127406"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Erich,</p>
<p>We placed one of the nest boxes on the floor of the coop; once the pullets figured out that the nest was the better place to lay an egg, we…</p>
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<p>Thanks Mel,</p>
<p>The method you described worked very well for us! They are now accustomed to their box and don't want any other spot.<br/> <br/> <cite>Mel W said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.homegrown.org/forum/topics/nesting-boxes?groupUrl=backyardchickens&amp;#2263119Comment127406"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Erich,</p>
<p>We placed one of the nest boxes on the floor of the coop; once the pullets figured out that the nest was the better place to lay an egg, we mounted it on the wall about 14 inches up.</p>
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</blockquote> That is absolutely true,
Onc…tag:www.homegrown.org,2011-12-19:2263119:Comment:1274372011-12-19T17:52:21.116ZErich Gottlhttp://www.homegrown.org/profile/ErichGottl
<p>That is absolutely true,</p>
<p>Once one picks a favorite, they seem to follow suit. Ours are just starting to settle on spots. They're very much like kids with toys, everyone wants what the one is playing with.<br></br> <br></br> <cite>rachel whetzel said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.homegrown.org/forum/topics/nesting-boxes?groupUrl=backyardchickens&amp;#2263119Comment127527"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Using a golf ball will encourage them to choose a favorite box too.…</p>
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<p>That is absolutely true,</p>
<p>Once one picks a favorite, they seem to follow suit. Ours are just starting to settle on spots. They're very much like kids with toys, everyone wants what the one is playing with.<br/> <br/> <cite>rachel whetzel said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.homegrown.org/forum/topics/nesting-boxes?groupUrl=backyardchickens&amp;#2263119Comment127527"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Using a golf ball will encourage them to choose a favorite box too. Chickens like to lay where other chickens have laid. In their "natural" environment, this means that when one hen goes broody, she'd sit on clutches filled with other hen's eggs, because they all like to lay where another has/is laying... and so instead of just a few days worth of her own eggs, she's sitting on 12 or more eggs from the entire flock. It's a pretty genius thing to see... :)</p>
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</blockquote> Using a golf ball will encour…tag:www.homegrown.org,2011-12-19:2263119:Comment:1275272011-12-19T03:26:30.564Zrachel whetzelhttp://www.homegrown.org/profile/rachelwhetzel
<p>Using a golf ball will encourage them to choose a favorite box too. Chickens like to lay where other chickens have laid. In their "natural" environment, this means that when one hen goes broody, she'd sit on clutches filled with other hen's eggs, because they all like to lay where another has/is laying... and so instead of just a few days worth of her own eggs, she's sitting on 12 or more eggs from the entire flock. It's a pretty genius thing to see... :)</p>
<p>Using a golf ball will encourage them to choose a favorite box too. Chickens like to lay where other chickens have laid. In their "natural" environment, this means that when one hen goes broody, she'd sit on clutches filled with other hen's eggs, because they all like to lay where another has/is laying... and so instead of just a few days worth of her own eggs, she's sitting on 12 or more eggs from the entire flock. It's a pretty genius thing to see... :)</p> Thanks Mel,
I'm curious thoug…tag:www.homegrown.org,2011-12-18:2263119:Comment:1275262011-12-18T20:19:34.817ZErich Gottlhttp://www.homegrown.org/profile/ErichGottl
<p>Thanks Mel,</p>
<p>I'm curious though, How did you get them to accept that one box as their favorite nesting place to begin with?<br></br> <br></br> <cite>Mel W said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.homegrown.org/forum/topics/nesting-boxes?groupUrl=backyardchickens&amp;#2263119Comment127406"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Erich,</p>
<p>We placed one of the nest boxes on the floor of the coop; once the pullets figured out that the nest was the better place to lay an egg, we mounted it…</p>
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<p>Thanks Mel,</p>
<p>I'm curious though, How did you get them to accept that one box as their favorite nesting place to begin with?<br/> <br/> <cite>Mel W said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.homegrown.org/forum/topics/nesting-boxes?groupUrl=backyardchickens&amp;#2263119Comment127406"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Erich,</p>
<p>We placed one of the nest boxes on the floor of the coop; once the pullets figured out that the nest was the better place to lay an egg, we mounted it on the wall about 14 inches up.</p>
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</blockquote> Erich,
We placed one of the n…tag:www.homegrown.org,2011-12-17:2263119:Comment:1274062011-12-17T19:20:38.723ZMel Whttp://www.homegrown.org/profile/MelindaWolowicz
<p>Erich,</p>
<p>We placed one of the nest boxes on the floor of the coop; once the pullets figured out that the nest was the better place to lay an egg, we mounted it on the wall about 14 inches up.</p>
<p>Erich,</p>
<p>We placed one of the nest boxes on the floor of the coop; once the pullets figured out that the nest was the better place to lay an egg, we mounted it on the wall about 14 inches up.</p> Thanks for the reply Kelly, I…tag:www.homegrown.org,2011-12-15:2263119:Comment:1273092011-12-15T15:59:53.755ZErich Gottlhttp://www.homegrown.org/profile/ErichGottl
<p>Thanks for the reply Kelly, It never occurred to me to try a towel, but that's a nice idea!<br></br> <br></br> <cite>Kelly ann Mulholland said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.homegrown.org/forum/topics/nesting-boxes?groupUrl=backyardchickens&amp;#2263119Comment127243"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>We first had only two chickens, both rescues from my shelter. Not knowing anything we gave them a rubbermaid tote on its side and a cat carrier to nest in. They had alot of hay also to…</p>
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<p>Thanks for the reply Kelly, It never occurred to me to try a towel, but that's a nice idea!<br/> <br/> <cite>Kelly ann Mulholland said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.homegrown.org/forum/topics/nesting-boxes?groupUrl=backyardchickens&amp;#2263119Comment127243"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>We first had only two chickens, both rescues from my shelter. Not knowing anything we gave them a rubbermaid tote on its side and a cat carrier to nest in. They had alot of hay also to keep warm as it was December. . They laid eggs in these and nested in them. I gave them a perch which they did not use</p>
<p>This year we got two 5-week old chicks and decided they would need a laying box (yes, we're learning!) and another perch.</p>
<p>This December they all perch overnight and all but one of the older girls use the laying box.</p>
<p>They seemed to have worked it out on their own. The perchs are the 4" side of a 2" x4" as we were told they wouldn't use a narrower perch. We put a towel in the nest box, it is just easier to replace weekly.</p>
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</blockquote> Thanks Dawn,
We talked about…tag:www.homegrown.org,2011-12-15:2263119:Comment:1271692011-12-15T02:12:14.138ZErich Gottlhttp://www.homegrown.org/profile/ErichGottl
<p>Thanks Dawn,</p>
<p>We talked about getting hay for the boxes but I have not looked into where to get it this time of year. The hay is something they'll probably enjoy munching on too . Hope your girls get their feathers back and stay warm!<br></br> <br></br> <cite>dawn hughes said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.homegrown.org/forum/topics/nesting-boxes?groupUrl=backyardchickens&amp;#2263119Comment126860"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Hi, I use hay in my nest boxes. They've…</p>
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<p>Thanks Dawn,</p>
<p>We talked about getting hay for the boxes but I have not looked into where to get it this time of year. The hay is something they'll probably enjoy munching on too . Hope your girls get their feathers back and stay warm!<br/> <br/> <cite>dawn hughes said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.homegrown.org/forum/topics/nesting-boxes?groupUrl=backyardchickens&amp;#2263119Comment126860"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Hi, I use hay in my nest boxes. They've always gone in there to lay. My coop is the size of a large dog house with 2 nest boxes built on the end. We put in a roost for them which all 3 crowd onto when it's cold. Every now and then someone will decide to sleep in a nest box for the night.</p>
<p>Of note, my girls are molting now. I was kind of worried at first b/c I thought they would be cold but, they don't seem to be bothered at all. Now I'm just checking them to make sure nobody is getting pecked on their bald spots! Oh, do they like ratty!!!! I'll be glad when they're done with that.</p>
<p>I wasn't aware that you could actually get chickens at a shelter. That's really cool.</p>
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</blockquote> One of our girls "Lida Rose"…tag:www.homegrown.org,2011-12-15:2263119:Comment:1268692011-12-15T01:14:48.429ZKelly ann Mulhollandhttp://www.homegrown.org/profile/KellyannMulholland
<p>One of our girls "Lida Rose" our Buff Orp, started moulting in October- yikes! We were worried too with the cold coming on. She is still moulting a little and has just started laying again. At first we thought she were under attack.</p>
<p>One of our girls "Lida Rose" our Buff Orp, started moulting in October- yikes! We were worried too with the cold coming on. She is still moulting a little and has just started laying again. At first we thought she were under attack.</p> We also let our New Hampshire…tag:www.homegrown.org,2011-12-14:2263119:Comment:1268632011-12-14T21:44:36.377ZCaroline Malcolmhttp://www.homegrown.org/profile/greencaroline
<p>We also let our New Hampshire red gals roost on hay, and they like to be close together nesting boxes at night, but are out and about all day. It took FOREVER to get them to lay. They are 9 months now and just starting to lay a few eggs here and there...I think the combination of temperature and amount of daylight was the main issue, and golf balls didn't seem to make much of a difference. We thought for a while they might be laying around the yard (they are "free range" all day). It looks…</p>
<p>We also let our New Hampshire red gals roost on hay, and they like to be close together nesting boxes at night, but are out and about all day. It took FOREVER to get them to lay. They are 9 months now and just starting to lay a few eggs here and there...I think the combination of temperature and amount of daylight was the main issue, and golf balls didn't seem to make much of a difference. We thought for a while they might be laying around the yard (they are "free range" all day). It looks like we won't have many eggs until next spring now that the cold has set in, but it sure is fun watching them grow!</p> Hi, I use hay in my nest boxe…tag:www.homegrown.org,2011-12-14:2263119:Comment:1268602011-12-14T20:40:28.372Zdawn hugheshttp://www.homegrown.org/profile/dawnhughes
<p>Hi, I use hay in my nest boxes. They've always gone in there to lay. My coop is the size of a large dog house with 2 nest boxes built on the end. We put in a roost for them which all 3 crowd onto when it's cold. Every now and then someone will decide to sleep in a nest box for the night.</p>
<p>Of note, my girls are molting now. I was kind of worried at first b/c I thought they would be cold but, they don't seem to be bothered at all. Now I'm just checking them to make sure nobody is getting…</p>
<p>Hi, I use hay in my nest boxes. They've always gone in there to lay. My coop is the size of a large dog house with 2 nest boxes built on the end. We put in a roost for them which all 3 crowd onto when it's cold. Every now and then someone will decide to sleep in a nest box for the night.</p>
<p>Of note, my girls are molting now. I was kind of worried at first b/c I thought they would be cold but, they don't seem to be bothered at all. Now I'm just checking them to make sure nobody is getting pecked on their bald spots! Oh, do they like ratty!!!! I'll be glad when they're done with that.</p>
<p>I wasn't aware that you could actually get chickens at a shelter. That's really cool.</p>